Author: Steven Sahiounie

DOHA, Qatar – It actually is possible to stand up for what’s right, even when it’s not in your best interests, at this World Cup.Hours after European soccer authorities caved to FIFA’s threats over plans to show a small token of support for the LGBTQ community, Iran’s players risked the ire of their government by refusing to sing the national anthem before Monday’s game. The European teams backed off because they were oh, so afraid of jeopardizing their chances at the World Cup while the Iranian players went ahead despite knowing security forces back home have arrested, beaten, shot at…

It’s been 3,065 days since the U.S. men’s national team participated in a World Cup, but the wait is over.Monday, Nov. 21 marked the USMNT’s World Cup debut after an eight-year drought, as they faced Wales in their first match of Group B’s round-robin.And the boys did not disappoint. In an exciting start, the United States clinched the first goal in the game against Wales.Since the U.S. is back in action, it only seems appropriate that we keep track of the magic. Here’s every goal scored by the USMNT during the 2022 FIFA World cup : The United States’ eight-year…

The United States isn’t considered a World Cup favorite. Not even close. The Americans are not even a heavy favorite to advance to the knockout stage from their group.That doesn’t matter to plenty of bettors.The biggest liability for the 2022 World Cup for BetMGM is the United States winning it all. The Americans are 100-to-1 to win it all. As of Sunday, of all the tickets written on which team will win the World Cup, 10.9% of them are on the United States. That’s the third-most, only behind soccer powers Argentina (18.1%) and Brazil (13.4). BetMGM offers odds on which…

Groups C and D get underway on Tuesday in the first four-match day of the 2022 World Cup. Two of the biggest favorites to win the World Cup play their first matches on Tuesday as Argentina starts the day against Saudi Arabia and France meets Australia in the nightcap.Here’s what you need to know to place bets on Tuesday’s four games. As always, all odds are courtesy of BetMGM.Odds to win Group CArgentina (-250)Mexico (+450)Poland (+500)Saudi Arabia (+1800)Odds to finish top 2 in Group CArgentina (-1600)Mexico (-115)Poland (-110)Saudi Arabia (+650)Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia (over/under 2.5 goals)5 a.m. ET Tuesday, FS1Argentina…

World Cup: Viewer’s guide | Group previews | Top 30 players | Power rankings]DOHA, Qatar — The U.S. men’s national team went 4 1/2 years without a consistent captain, but on the eve of the 2022 World Cup, it named a historic one.Tyler Adams will lead the USMNT out onto the field Monday against Wales (2 p.m. ET, Fox/Telemundo).When he does, he’ll be the youngest captain at this World Cup, and the first Black man to captain the U.S. throughout any World Cup.He was elevated into the role, at 23 years old, by his peers, via a team vote this…

Doha, QatarCNN — Before a ball was even kicked in Iran’s World Cup opener against England on Monday, Iran’s players made a powerful statement.In what seemed to be a show of solidarity with those protesting back home, the players stood silent as the Iranian national anthem played out around the Khalifa International Stadium before kickoff on Monday. The match ended in a 6-2 victory for England.Protests, chaos and violence have rocked Iran in recent months and threatened the very nature of the country’s regime, which has been in power for more than 40 years.The protests, referred to by experts as…

Lloyd Austin says Moscow’s massive military has not helped it prevail in Ukraine US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has lauded Russia’s armed forces and weaponry on Saturday – but added, however, that such military might has not enabled Moscow to achieve victory in the Ukraine conflict. “You know, the Russians have a massive military and impressive weapons,” but this “hasn’t helped them prevail in a campaign of conquest and cruelty,” Austin claimed, speaking at the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada on Saturday. According to the official, “it’s about the cause,” as well as “those who fight for it.” The…

The airstrikes came after the recent attack in Istanbul The Turkish Air Force has struck a number of targets linked to Kurdish groups in northern Syria and Iraq, the country’s defense minister, Hulusi Akar, said on Sunday. The raids followed last week’s deadly terrorist attack in downtown Istanbul, Türkiye’s most populous city. “Terrorists’ shelters, bunkers, caves, tunnels, and warehouses were successfully destroyed,” Akar said, adding that “the so-called headquarters of the terrorist organization were also hit and destroyed.” Overall, the Defense Ministry claimed that the strikes hit nearly 90 targets, which it said were connected to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the…

The FIFA World Cup in Qatar is approaching. The event is controversial for many reasons, not least because of a backlash from Western sports teams over the question of human rights in the Arab country. Qatar is an extremely conservative religious society. It has harsh laws pertaining to LGBTQ people, but even besides that, the decision to host the tournament in a country so small, so hot and lacking in any football tradition, has always been controversial, with FIFA being accused of corruption.  These bizarre circumstances have led the country to scramble to build a football infrastructure in a short space of…

As of Sunday, the US has its first octogenarian president Joe Biden turned 80 years old on Sunday, becoming the first US president to serve into his ninth decade. While Biden’s advanced age and apparent cognitive difficulties have made him the target of Republican attacks, the combined leadership of both parties is older than ever. Biden will celebrate his birthday with a brunch hosted by First Lady Jill Biden, and members of his family already in Washington for his granddaughter’s wedding on Saturday are expected to attend. While Biden is already the oldest person ever to serve as president, his…